The inclusion of Harbhajan Singh in India’s World T20 squad might have surprised many, but former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday said that the off-spinner deserved to be playing in all three formats of the game. Calling him “a fighter who lifts the team’s spirit”, Ganguly said Harbhajan should not have been kept out of the national side for so long.
“If you ask me to pick India’s best three spinners then Harbhajan is definitely one of them. He is one bowler who should be playing all three formats of the game.
“He should not have been out of the India squad for such a long time. The board should have spoken to him and told him that ‘look we are giving you six months time to sort out your bowling’,” said Ganguly.
Yuvraj’s selection an emotional decision
Manjrekar had no doubt that all-rounder Yuvraj Singh’s return would inspire the team but added that “the left-hander’s selection was an emotional decision.”
“Honestly speaking, it was an emotional decision to bring him back. It is difficult to imagine the trauma he has gone through all these past few months, but he had shown eagerness to come back. His presence in the dressing room will be a morale boost for the team.” said the 47-year-old.
Meanwhile, Ganguly, who called Yuvraj “a true fighter”, believes that the two T20 matches against New Zealand ahead of the World T20 from September 8 to 11 will be a test of fitness and form for the southpaw.
India favourites for World T20
Ganguly felt that India had a good chance to lift the World T20 title again.
“When you have players like Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, M.S. Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh it is very difficult to count India out. There is a lot of firepower there.
They have the potential to lift the trophy once again,” said the former left-handed batsmen.
“Also, India will be playing in familiar conditions. In the last two editions, the short ball was a factor and Indian batsmen had trouble playing it. But in Sri Lanka, even if a bowler digs in short, it will at the most come at waist height.”
India, the 2007 champions, are clubbed with Afghanistan and England in the group stages and will need to win seven matches to get their hands on the trophy for the second time.
But according to Ganguly, India’s real test would begin after the group stages, and India find themselves possibly up against Australia and Pakistan in the Super Eights.
On Piyush Chawla’s selection, which has raised quite a few eyebrows, Ganguly said that
Chawla had proved to be a lucky mascot. “Also Piyush can play a back-up role to spinners R. Ashwin and Harbhajan in the team,” he said.